E-Paper
CBI on lookout for ED official over bribery charges
The CBI has recovered over a crore in cash from the house and hideouts of the ED official, including ₹54 lakh of the bribe money handed to him by a complainant
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is on the lookout for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer posted in Shimla, from whose house and hideouts the agency recovered over a crore in cash, including ₹54 lakh of the bribe money handed to him by a complainant, said an officer aware of the probe details.
“The assistant director is on the run. His brother was arrested on Wednesday because he too was part of the racket and collecting the money for his brother,” the officer said.
The CBI officer said that on November 22, the absconding ED official spotted CBI officials while he was meeting the CBI’s complainant to collect the bribe money. He had called the complainant to a specific location in Chandigarh along with the bribe money. The CBI’s Chandigarh team had followed the complainant to the spot where the money was to exchange hands, official said.
“The ED official realised he had been caught and hurriedly collected some of the money and got inside the car. The man drove rash and hit other cars while fleeing too. From the location where he had called the complainant, the CBI team recovered ₹54 lakh of the total bribe money. Between December 22 and December 25, during the searches at his residence in Shimla and other places, the team recovered a further ₹56.5 lakh in cash. The CBI teams are questioning his brother, who is a bank manager. The car has been seized though,” the officer said.
The officer clarified that the ED offices in Shimla were not searched and the subsequent recovery of ₹56.5 lakh cash was not recovered from any ED office.
The CBI and the ED are yet to issue a statement on the case.
People aware of the matter in the ED said that while CBI is already probing the matter, disciplinary action has already been initiated against him.
“CBI informed the ED about the case on November 24. Following the policy of zero tolerance, the said officer as well as his supervisory officer has been transferred from their place of posting and attached to the headquarter. Dispicinary action has been initiated against him and he will also be repatriated,”officials in ED aware of the matter said.
Officials aware of the matter said, the CBI laid a trap in Chandigarh after a man who was under probe in a ED case informed CBI about the bribe demand by the assistant director.
The man, whose identity has not been revealed by the CBI, told the agency that the ED officer, posted in Shimla, had asked him to bring ₹55 lakh in return for helping him in the case.
The absconding ED officer was on deputation to Enforcement Directorate for the past one year. He is originally from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
